Military Families
Links offering different types of support
Below is a list of some private and military related links, and a brief description of some
of the services they offer, as taken from their web site. Many offer more comprehensive
services, and greater details should be sought from their sites.
NOTE: There are over 10,000 web sites devoted to military personnel and their families,
and over 30,000 charities for them. This file is only a very small listing, and you are
encouraged to look on your own for more that may meet your need.
Air Force Aid Society
http://www.afas.org/index.cfm
The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) is the official charity of the United States Air Force
incorporated in 1942 as a non-profit organization whose mission is to help relieve
financial distress of Air Force members and their families and to assist them in financing
their higher education goals.
American Corporate Partners
www.acp-usa.org
Connecting US veterans to business leaders through our two free programs: an online
network offering business advice, and a nationwide mentoring program.
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org/
It offers the services everyone associates with the Red Cross. However, it also allows
military members stationed all over the world to send messages to loved ones back home
during an emergency or other important events. These communications are delivered
24/7, every day of the year. There are also nearly 1,000 Red Cross chapters in the United
States, on 109 military installations around the world and alongside our troops in Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Kosovo and Afghanistan.
Armed Services YMCA
www.asymca.org
Provides free, specialized programs and support services to military service members and
their families, with a particular focus on junior-enlisted men and women. Programs
include:
 Opeation Hero, an afterschool program to help children cope with the challenges
of being a military child.
 Operation Kid Comfort: free, personalized, hand-made photo quilt program for
children of deployed troops.
 Emergency Aid: food and clothing assistance
 Family & Youth Camps
 Free YMCA memberships for qualified families
 Signature events: Mud run, the Christmas you missed, Father/Daughter dance,
and more!
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Assistance to Army Soldiers & Families during the Iraq War.
http://www.aerhq.org/Assistance-to-AER.htm
The Army Emergency Relief fund offers assistance as family financial situations are
challenged due to increased expenses from separation and other family adjustments as
their needs require. Assistance is available to all active duty soldiers and Reserve
Component soldiers ordered to active duty for more than 30 consecutive days.
Babysitting and nannies
www.sittercity.com/dod
SitterCity helps you find experienced baby sitters and nannies in your area. And with
features like detailed profiles, background checks, references & reviews, we make the
process safe and easy.
If you are a service member in the Army, Marines, Navy, or Air Force (active, reserve or
guard), a Sittercity program is funded by the Department of Defense and your
membership is available to you at no cost.
Camps: free for ages 7-17 who have lost a parent or sibling
www.comfortzonecamp.org
Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit 501(c)3 bereavement camp that transforms the lives
of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. The
free camps include confidence building programs and age-based support groups that
break the emotional isolation grief often brings. Comfort Zone Camps are offered to
children 7-17, and are held year-round across the Country. We have offices in California,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Virginia.
Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund
http://www.childrenoffallensoldiersrelieffund.org/
This organization provides college grants and financial assistance to surviving children
and spouses of our U.S. military service members who have lost their lives in the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars. Our financial assistance program assists disabled service member
families as well.
Clothing custom made for free for wounded vets
www.sewmuchcomfort.org
Sew Much Comfort is a nationally recognized non-profit organization providing adaptive
clothing free of charge, to wounded service men and women at every military hospital in
the United States, Landsthul (Germany) and at Combat Surgical Hospitals overseas. We
create and/or adapt clothing to meet the unique needs of the wounded. For many service
members the only clothing available is a hospital gown. These gowns are drafty, do not
cover properly and are impractical for optimum recovery. By creating custom adaptive
clothing, our hope is to make their recovery more comfortable both physically and
emotionally. Our clothing gives medical personnel and service members the ability to
have ready access to their injuries by utilizing the adaptive openings in our clothing.
Specially designed clothing permits easy access during their exams and physical therapy,
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as well as facilitating the difficult process of dressing themselves in their everyday life.
Our clothing allows injured service members to easily dress themselves and their clothing
appears as normal civilian attire which helps facilitate a more natural and comfortable
recovery.
Defense & Veterans Brain Injury Center
www.dvbic.org
This program, administered jointly by the DoD and VA, has a mission to “serve active
duty military, their dependents, and veterans with traumatic brain injury through state of
the art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives, and educational programs.”
Employment
www.recruitmilitary.com
RecruitMilitary is the top full-service military-to-civilian recruiting firm in the U.S. We
use online and offline products to connect employers, franchisers, and educational
institutions with men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life,
vets who already have civilian work experiences, members of the Guard and reserve
forces, and military spouses. We serve vets of all ranks, rates, and branches of the armed
forces, and our services are free to all men and women who have a military background.
RecruitMilitary is vet-owned, vet-operated and vet-advised. All of our officers, national
account executives and search consultants are either vets or active or former duty
reservicsts. As the nation’s leading military-to-civilian recruiting firm, we have
established working relationships with industry associations, non-profit organizations,
and government agencies.
Employment
www.militaryhire.com
Within the MilitaryHire network are the resources and contacts you need to successfully
make your initial transition to civilian life and beyond.
Employment: advice on making the transition to civilian work
www.gijobs.com
Employment: online career fair for vets and spouses
www.veteranscareerfair.com
Milicruit was created to address the premise that the traditional military career fair is
costly, time-consuming and often times ineffective. Given the large number of veterans
currently looking to reenter civilian life, and the large number of employers seeking to
hire veterans, we designed milicruit to allow industry leading employers, veterans and
military spouses the opportunity to meet and interact in a fully interactive online
environment from wherever they may be located.
Some of the benefits of Milicruit include:
• Veterans get more access to more employers
• Employers gain access to veterans they may otherwise miss.
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• A great screening tool for employers and veterans.
• Veterans can attend at their convenience.
• Employers benefit from tax advantages of hiring veterans.
Provides equal access to the veteran who may have a disability
Family Advocacy Program
http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/portal/page?_pageid=73,46033&_dad=itc&_sche
ma=PORTAL&section_id=20.40.500.260.0.0.0.0.0&content_id=190538
The Family Advocacy Program (FAP) provides services to troops and family members
experiencing domestic abuse and child abuse through prevention efforts, early
identification and intervention, support for victims, and treatment for abusers. Everyone
is required to report suspected domestic abuse or child abuse to FAP. This link provides a
directory of Family Advocacy Program representatives at Army, Marine Corps, Navy,
and Air Force installations around the world.
Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents
http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/current_benefits.htm
This online guide from the Department of Veteran Affairs informs veterans and their
dependents of the variety of federal benefits available.
Emergency Financial Assistance
www.operationhomefront.net
Operation Homefront provides direct services to alleviate a military family’s or
individual’s actual/complete emergency financial burden, as well as counseling and/or
recovery support. Emergency financial assistance is in the form of checks paid directly to
mortgage lenders, auto mechanics, contractors, hospitals, doctors, dentists and other
providers. Other emergency funding assistance, which an applicant receives within 24 to
72 hours, includes the following:
• Financial assistance
• Emergency food
• Emergency home repairs
• Critical baby items: formula, food and diapers
• Home and appliance repair
• Furniture and household items
• Local moving assistance
• Community events
• Wounded Warrior Transitional Family Housing
Financial Assistance
www.usacares.org
USA Cares provides financial and advocacy assistance to post 9/11 active duty US
military service personnel, veterans and their families. We assist all branches of service,
all ranks and components and treat all with privacy and dignity in appreciation for their
service and sacrifice. We never charge fees nor accept repayment and rely on donations
from private citizens, businesses and foundations for all funding.
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The goal is to help restore financial stability and self-sufficiency by giving “a hand up not
a hand out.” Services are free to service men and women and their families without
obligation to repay. Financial assistance is not given directly to service members or their
families; instead, payments are made to mortgage lenders, utility companies, and other
vendors. The objective is to reach families at the earliest stage of intervention to
proactively prevent further financial distress.
Contact us at 1-800-773-0387 or info@usacares.org.
Financial Assistance
www.unmetneeds.org
As a not-for-profit organization, the VFW Foundation receives no government funding.
We rely solely on individual donations and corporation sponsorships. Your taxdeductible charitable contribution makes a direct impact on how much help and financial
support we’re able to provide our deployed soldiers and their families in their time of
need.
Unmet Needs helps ease the unanticipated financial demands on our service members’
families that can’t be taken care of through existing means. It also provides our soldiers
with the peace of mind of knowing their families have additional support at home. So join
us today in reaching out a helping hand to those who protect our country – and safeguard
our freedoms – so bravely.
With your help, the Unmet Needs program can continue to meet basic needs of soldiers
and their families such as:
• mortgage and rent
• home and auto repairs
• insurance
• utilities
• food
• clothing
Financial Assistance
www.operationfirstresponse.org
The mission of Operation First Response, Inc (OFR) is to serve all branches of our
nation's Wounded Warriors and their families with personal and financial needs. Services
are provided from the onset of injuries or illness, throughout their recovery period and
along their journey from military life to the civilian world. Financial aid varies as each
case is based on individual needs ranging from rent, utilities, vehicle payments, groceries,
clothing, and travel expenses.
Financial Assistance for injured Marines, Sailors, Army, Air Force and USCG
www.semperfifund.org
The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit set up to provide immediate
financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. Armed Forces and
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their families. We direct urgently needed resources to post 9-11 Marines and Sailors, as
well as members of the Army, Air Force or Coast Guard who serve in support of Marine
forces. The Semper Fi Fund (SFF) provides relief for financial needs that arise during
hospitalization and recovery as well as assistance for those with perpetuating needs. Our
program provides support in a variety of ways including: Service Member and Family
Support, Specialized & Adaptive Equipment, Adaptive Housing, Adaptive
Transportation, Education and Career Transition Assistance, Therapeutic Arts and Team
Semper Fi.
Financial Assistance for families of killed or seriously injured OIF vets
www.fallenpatriotfund.org
The Fallen Patriot Fund was established to help families of U.S. military personnel who
were killed or seriously injured during OIF. Financial resources are vital to enhancing the
sustainability of the family unit who has suffered a loss because of their loved one
sacrificed himself/herself for freedom.
Fisher Houses
www.fisherhouse.org
This website offers a number of programs for military families. Among them are Fisher
Houses which are for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and
VA medical centers. The homes are normally within walking distance of the treatment
facility, or have transportation available. Cost varies by location. The average charge is
under $10. per family per day. Family of service members injured due to service in Iraq
or Afghanistan do not pay the daily fee.
GI Bill
www.gibill.va.gov
This site provides detailed information on the GI bill, such as eligibility and education
benefits.
Helmets to Hardhats
www.helmettohardhats.org
Helmets to Hardhats is the fastest way for Military, Reservists & Guardsmen to transition
from active duty to a career in the construction industry.
Hero Miles
www.fisherhouse.org/programs/heroMiles.shtml
This program provides free air travel through the donation of frequent flyer miles by
others for military personnel undergoing treatment at a military medical center or VA
medical center incident to their service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the surrounding areas.
Two categories of people can apply to attain free air fare:
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 service personnel with an approved convalescent leave may be given a free round
trip airline ticket from the medical center to their home and return if they are not
eligible for government funded airfare.
 qualifying service personnel may be given free round trip tickets to enable their
family or close friends to visit them while they are being treated at the medical
center.
Airlines that are participating at this time consist of American, AirTran, Midwest,
Northwest, Independence, Delta, US Air, America West, Alaska, and Continental.
Hire a Hero
www.hireahero.org
The Armed Forces Support Foundation 501 (c)(3) was established in 2006 with a mission
to plan, promote, and execute programs to assist members of the United States Armed
Forces transitioning back into civilian life.
Today our flagship program Hire A Hero is the premier online job board and community
of choice for those who have served our country. Hire A Hero has helped thousands of
veterans and their spouses connect to employers who value their service, work ethic and
loyalty to our country.
Recognized by by Time magazine (2008), for being one of the top 21 ways to “Fix
America” and Infoworld, Magazine (2008) as one of the top 100 website in the world for
creative and effective merging of business and technical solutions to veterans; Hire A
Hero has over 337,000 registered members and has seen over 2,725,437 absolute Unique
Visitors throughout the year.
To learn more about Hire A Hero or other programs please email info@hireahero.org
Hire Heroes USA
www.hireheroesusa.org
Hire Heroes USA is dedicated to creating job opportunities for US military vets and their
spouses through personalized employment training and corporate engagement.
As a 501(c3) not for profit organization, Hire Heroes services are provided at no cost to
the veteran.
Homes for Heroes
www.homesforheroes.com
Our mission is to provide extraordinary savings to local heroes who provide
extraordinary services to our community every day.
Homes for Heroes® is a company that affiliates with Realtors®, lenders and other real
estate-related service providers who offer substantial rebates and discounts to the Heroes
who serve our nation and its communities every day. Our Heroes include military
personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers and others who make our communities a
better place to live.
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This program was created after the tragic events of 9/11 as a “Thank you” to the men and
women who have given so much. Heroes across the country register on our website every
day looking for the savings. We match them with Homes for Heroes® Affiliates in their
area. Homes for Heroes® is now expanding its discounts beyond the home buying and
selling process with our Friends of Heroes® program.
Veterans Home Loans
www.homeloans.va.gov
Homes: building specialty adaptations to severely injured troops
www.homesforourtroops.org
We are Homes for Our Troops, a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization
founded in 2004. We are strongly committed to helping those who have selflessly given
to our country and have returned home with serious disabilities and injuries since
September 11, 2001. It is our duty and our honor to assist severely injured Servicemen
and Servicewomen and their immediate families by raising donations of money, building
materials and professional labor and to coordinate the process of building a home that
provides maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently.
The homes provided by Homes for Our Troops are given at NO COST to the
Veterans we serve.
Note: An eligible Veteran or service member may receive a Veterans Administration
Specially Adapted Housing Grant up to a maximum amount of $63,780. Homes for Our
Troops’ assistance covers all costs over and above this grant to ensure that the home is
provided at no cost to the recipient.
Hope for the Warriors
www.hopeforthewarriors.org
Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for post 9/11 service members, their families,
and families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the
line of duty. Services include care coordination, family support, reintegration services,
community outreach, and outdoor adventures.
IAVA: Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America
www.iava.org
Programs include health, employment, education and community resources.
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
www.fallenheroesfund.org
Provides financial aid in the form of ‘family grants’ and scholarships for severely
wounded vets and their families.
Legal Information & Resources for Military Personnel & their Families
https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/legal
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The Judge Advocate General's Corps provides online legal information and resources in
such areas as family matters, financial issues (including taxes), insurance, immigration,
housing (including landlord-tenant issues), estates, the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief
Act, and consumer and contract issues.
Marine Corps Scholarship Fund
www.mcsf.org
The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is the nation’s oldest and largest provider of
need-based scholarships to children of Marines and Navy Corpsmen, with particular
attention given to those whose parent has been killed or wounded in combat, or who have
demonstrated financial need.
Marine Parents Information, Support & Connections
www.marineparents.com
Our missing includes three distinct areas:
 information: providing reliable resources and information about the USMC
 connect and share: providing recruit and Marine family members ‘a place to
connect and share’ in support of one another
 troop and family support: providing opportunities to support the troops and their
families through a multitude of outreach programs
Mental Health Services for Free for Vets and Families
www.thesoldiersproject.org
The Soldiers Project is a private, non-profit, independent group of volunteer licensed
mental health professionals including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers,
registered nurses and marriage and family therapists.
We provide free counseling and support to military service members who have served or
who expect to serve in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan conflicts and to veterans of those
conflicts. We see active duty as well as members of activated Reserve or Guard units. In
addition, our services are available to the families and other loved ones of service
members. We provide help to service members and families struggling with issues related
to the overwhelming trauma of war including the cycle from pre-deployment to
deployment to homecoming and re-entry to civilian life.
Our services are readily accessible and entirely free of charge. We do not report to any
government agency.
877 576 5343
info@thesoldiersproject.org
Military HomeFront
http://www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil/
“The official DoD web site for reliable Quality of Life information designed to help
troops and their families, leaders and service providers. Whether you live the military
lifestyle or support those who do, you’ll find what you need!”
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Our Military Kids
www.ourmilitarykids.org
Financial grants for children of deployed National Guard and military reserve personnel
as well as the children of wounded warriors in all branches of services. The money can be
used to pay for sports, fine arts, camps and tutoring program that nurture and sustain
children while a parent is away on assignment or recovering from injury.
Military Mental Health Screening
www.militarymentalhealth.org
An online screening test offered by the DoD is taken anonymously, and screens for
problems such as depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, PTSD and bipolar disorder. It is
intended for vets affected by deployment in all of the branches including National Guard
and Reserves, and their family members. It is meant to identify symptoms before
problems become urgent. The site also provides information about mental health and
substance abuse services covered by the DoD.
Military OneSource
http://www.militaryonesource.mil
Providing information and resources to help deal with the unique challenges of military
life.
Includes counseling:
 face to face
 telephonic counseling
 international calling options
 online counseling
 financial counseling
 health and wellness coaching
 military crisis line (800 273 TALK (8255)
 sexual assault support (877 995 5247)
Other services include:
 casualty assistance
 child abuse and domestic abuse
 children, youth and teens
 commissaries and exchanges
 crisis and prevention
 deployment
 disaster resources
 EFMP/special needs
 K-12 and college education
 Legal information
 Money management
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Morale, welfare, and recreation
Moving
Non-medical counseling
Parenting
Relationship health & family wellness
Spouse education & career opportunities
Transition assistance
Voluntary education – service members
Wounded warrior
Military Sentinel
http://www.consumer.gov/military/
This joint project of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Defense
provides information and resources for consumer protection issues that affect members of
the United States Armed Forces and their families, from auto leasing, to identity theft, to
work-at-home scams. It also provides an easy, formal way to enter consumer complaints
directly into a database that is immediately accessible by over 500 law enforcement
organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. These law
enforcement agencies use this complaint data to target cases for prosecution and other
enforcement measures. The information from Military Sentinel can also be used by
members of the JAG staff and others in the Department of Defense to help protect armed
services members and their families from consumer protection-related problems.
Military Spouses connect online
www.cinc.com
CinCHouse.com is the Internet's largest community of military wives and women in
uniform. Pronounced 'sink- house', we represent the "Commanders in Chief of the
House'. Our members include military girlfriends, fiancees, mothers, wives, and sisters.
We also welcome the unique perspective of male military spouses.
CinCHouse's
mission is to provide timely information, resources, and a community of friends to help
you survive the challenges and adventures of military life. Our goal is to help you live the
life you want to live within the military community. We also want to prepare our
members for success when they leave the military and transition back to civilian life. You
CAN do all this while progressing in your career, continuing your education, raising your
children and pursuing your dreams.
CinCHouse features articles dealing with various aspects of military life, from dealing
with deployments to finding a job. Our extensive forums and chat rooms are filled with
military spouses located around the world and online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Military Spouses connect online
www.spousebuzz.com
SpouseBUZZ is Military.com’s blog for military spouses. It’s a virtual destination where
spouses click, connect and share their experiences. The blog features a variety of
perspectives as our contributors are affiliated with every branch of the Armed Forces,
including Guard and Reserves. When you visit SpouseBUZZ, you can expect to get a
taste of what it’s like to be a military spouse in a post 9/11 World. SpouseBUZZ offers a
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glimpse into the lives of modern military families.
Four times per year, the blog comes to life when the SpouseBUZZ contributors visit
military installations on their SpouseBUZZ LIVE tours. SpouseBUZZ LIVE is an
outgrowth of SpouseBUZZ.com. Military spouses who attend SpouseBUZZ LIVE can
expect a day of relaxation, fun and fellowship with other military spouses. SpouseBUZZ
LIVE is a one-of-a-kind, high-energy event presented by military spouses, for military
spouses. No dull speeches here….
Military Spouse Career Center
www.military.com/spouse
This site provides job opportunities for spouses of active duty personnel.
Military Spouse Corporate Career Network
www.msccn.org
Through our employment readiness training and job placements services, along with our
Military to Civilian Jobs Network Alliance Campaign, CASY-MSCCN works one-on-one
with our employment partners and funding supporters to reduce the rate of
unemployment to veterans, National Guard, reservists, and their spouses by preparing
them for their job search (translating skills, preparing resumes, interview skills, etc.)
while working directly with our corporate recruiters to match these military service
members and veterans to jobs that complement and fully utilize their qualifications,
experience, and education. Individual programs are also in place to serve homeless
female veterans and caregivers to the war-wounded – the extremely underserved militaryaffiliated applicants who have exceptional difficulty finding employment.Over the past
three years, we have served over 8,000 applicants and provided outreach to more than
50,000.
CASY-MSCCN is committed to breaking barriers in employment for those within the
military and veteran communities; increasing training, assistance, and employment
opportunities for all military-affiliated job seekers; and ensuring our corporate partners
fully understand and appreciate the service members’ qualifications and how they
perfectly match the skills these organizations need.By pursuing these objectives we will
greatly improve the employment hiring numbers for those who have served and the
families who support them.
National Center for PTSD
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/index.html
The mission of this program, which is within the Department of Veteran Affairs, is to
advance the clinical care and social welfare of America's veterans through research,
education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stressrelated disorders. They also offer guides for personnel returning from the war, and
another for the families.
National Military Family Association
www.militaryfamily.org
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Among this organization's primary purposes is to educate military families concerning
their rights, benefits and services available to them and to inform them regarding the
issues that affect their lives. They also offer a summer camp for kids (Operation Purple).
They also provide families with counseling and services to help the uniquely military
lifestyle matters of deployment, spouse education, separation, moving and more.
National Personnel Records Center – Military Personnel Records
http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/index.html
This site is provided for those seeking information regarding military personnel, health
and medical records stored at NPRC (MPR). If you are a veteran or next-of-kin of a
deceased veteran, you may now use vetrecs.archives.gov to order a copy of your military
records. For all others, your request is best made using a Standard Form 180. It includes
complete instructions for preparing and submitting requests.
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
http://www.nmcrs.org
This private non-profit charitable organization is sponsored by the Department of the
Navy and provides financial, educational, and other assistance to members of the Naval
Services of the United States, eligible family members, and survivors when in need.
Navy SEAL Foundation
www.navysealfoundation.org
Provides family services, financial support, educational programs, and activities for both
active duty and veteran SEALs, special warfare combatant crewmen, Naval special
warfare support personnel, and their spouses and children.
Operation Family Fund
http://www.oeffamilyfund.org/
This program provides financial grants for immediate or long-term needs to the Families
of soldiers who have been killed or severely disabled as part of the world wide war on
terrorism.
Operation Homefront
www.OperationHomefront.net
Operation Homefront provides direct services to alleviate a military family’s or
individual’s actual/complete emergency financial burden, as well as counseling and/or
recovery support. Emergency financial assistance is in the form of checks paid directly
to mortgage lenders, auto mechanics, contractors, hospitals, doctors, dentists and other
providers. Other emergency funding assistance, which an applicant receives within
24-72 hors, includes the following:

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financial assistance
emergency food
emergency home repairs
critical baby items: formula, food, and diapers
home and appliance repair
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furniture and household items
local moving assistance
community events
Wounded Warrior transitional family housing
Operation Military Support
http://www.operationmilitarysupport.com/
“We receive names of men and women who do not receive regular mail from home and
connect them with volunteers who want to boost the spirits of military personnel. This
will ensure that they can do their best with confidence that we in the United States are
appreciative of them for keeping peace throughout the world. They are doing the job they
are asked to do and we support them for serving.”
Operation Uplink
http://www.operationuplink.org/
This program keeps military personnel and hospitalized veterans in touch with their
families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone card.
Operation USO Care Package
http://www.uso.org/pubs/93_325_1391.cfm
This United Service Organizations (USO) program enables individuals to financially
support care packages that will be delivered to service members en route to overseas
destinations. . . . Operation USO Care Package is approved by the Department of
Defense, and provides a safe, easy way for individuals and corporations to show their
prayers and thoughts are with our service members. . . . The Care Packages contain an
assortment of items specifically requested by the military, such as prepaid international
calling cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, and sunscreen.
“Reaching out is a sign of strength”
Information for active duty, Guard/Reserve, vets, families, and professionals.
www.realwarriors.net
The Real Warriors Campaign is a multimedia public awareness campaign designed to
encourage help-seeking behavior among service members, veterans and military families
coping with invisible wounds. Launched by the Defense Centers of Excellence for
Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) in 2009, the campaign is an
integral part of the Defense Department’s overall effort to encourage warriors and
families to seek appropriate care and support for psychological health concerns.
To reach the broadest audience possible, the campaign features a variety of strategies
including outreach and partnerships, print materials, media outreach, an interactive
website, mobile website and social media. The campaign features stories of real service
members who reached out for psychological support or care with successful outcomes,
including learning coping skills, maintaining their security clearance and continuing to
succeed in their military or civilian careers. These Real Warriors are proving through
example that reaching out is a sign of strength that benefits the entire military
community.
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In addition, the campaign encourages use of the DCoE Outreach Center, a 24/7 call
center staffed by health resource consultants to provide confidential answers, tools, tips
and resources about psychological health and traumatic brain injury. The Outreach Center
can be reached by calling 866-966-1020, connecting through live chat or emailing
resources@dcoeoutreach.org.
Military crisis line for service members, vets and their families:
800-273-8255, press ‘1’.
Scholarships for Military Children
www.militaryscholar.org
The program is intended for those children who have a mother or father who are in active
duty, reserve/guard, or retired military personnel. Or, if you are the survivor of a
deceased member, and you have a military dependent ID card. You must be planning to
attend a college or university on a full-time basis.
Scholarships for children and spouses of Gulf War era members killed or severely
wounded in combat.
www.foldsofhonor.org
Through scholarships and other assistance, we’re giving back to the spouses and children
of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country. We’re providing healing, hope
and an opportunity to realize their dreams with the help of people like you.
Seamless Transition Home
www.seamlessstransition.va.gov
This the VA’s main website for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. You can
locate your local VA through this page.
Special Operations Warrior Foundation
www.specialops.org
Provides scholarships and family counseling to the children of special operations
personnel who die in the line of duty, and immediate financial assistance to severely
wounded special operations personnel and their families.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
http://www.taps.org/
TAPS is a national non-profit organization made up of, and providing services to, all
those who have lost a loved one while serving in the Armed Forces. The heart of TAPS is
our national military survivor peer support network. We also offer grief counseling
referral, case worker assistance and crisis information, all available to help families and
military personnel cope and recover. We provide these services 24 hours a day free of
charge.
Support for military families
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Treats for Troops
www.treatsfortroops.com
Treats for Troops was founded in early 2003 by Denver business woman Deborah Crane,
who was determined to make it safe and simple for every American to send packages and
messages of support to our men and women in uniform year round.
Since the Treats for Troops Gift Shops opened in June of 2003, friends, family members,
groups, organizations and individual sponsors have sent over twenty tons of treats to
American soldiers through Treats for Troops.
Friends and family members tell us they love shopping in our Gift Shops, where they can
choose from dozens of themed packages or hundreds of individual items, all selected
after lots of input from soldiers and family members.
Individuals, organizations and groups who don’t personally know anyone in the military,
but want to show their support can sponsor soldiers through our unique Foster-A-Soldier
Program. Sponsors can choose their soldiers by branch of service, home state or gender.
Companies who are proud of our soldiers and would like to help us make sure packages
are going out all year long can be part of our customized Corporate Sponsor Program.
We invite you to spend some time on our Web site, where you can read thank you notes
from troops who’ve received packages, browse our Gift Shops, send a package to
someone you know, sponsor a soldier, drop into a chat room, read comments from
president Deborah Crane, send us your ideas and catch up on all the latest news and
events.
Treat the Troops
www.treatthetroops.org
Treat The Troops was started by Jeanette Cram of Hilton Head Island, SC. She loves to
bake cookies for the military men and women serving our country. Her friends, referred
to as "Crumbs," help make the batter, pack the cookies, prepare the shipping and customs
labels. What began in her kitchen in 1990 during the Gulf War has grown to a nationwide
network of committed volunteer "crumbs" who have rallied their friends, businesses and
school groups to participate and share in the good feeling of supporting the troops in
harm's way.
VA Benefits – obtaining assistance in getting them
www.repforvets.com
Military veterans seeking benefits often run into months and even years of government
forms, medical exams and bureaucratic red tape. It may seem as if those benefits will
never come. But disabled veterans who are still fighting for compensation should not give
up — the VA-accredited claims agents at The Rep for Vets® offer the help they need.
Support for military families
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Our claims agents represent veterans in the United States in their cases before the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Vet Jobs.Com
www.vetjobs.com
A full-service job and resume posting site that was founded by two former Navy officers
with the belief that “veterans make the best employees.” A completely free service.
Veteran Employment
www.veteranemployment.com
Working exclusively with Monster.com this site allows you to search for jobs, including
those with security clearance.
Vets 4 Warriors (855 VET TALK, 855 838 8255. available 24/7)
www.vets4warriors.com
Talk on the phone for ongoing support or chat on line, resources, tips for handling stress,
referrals (legal, housing, medical, psychological and other needs).
We are here to help. We have all served in uniform for the United States Military. Some
members of our staff have served in combat missions while others have served in
supporting and peace keeping missions. However, we are all Veterans of the United
States Military and we are all here to help the men and women who are currently serving
or have served in the National Guard and Reserve.
While our mission is to serve military and Veterans, we are a separate organization
outside of the military. We are also separate from the Veterans Administration. We don't
discuss your calls with the military, the VA, or anyone else; your calls to us are
completely confidential and, if you choose, you may remain anonymous.
Our staff will listen and not judge you for anything. If you want to just talk, we will
support that. If you need some information, we can help you find it. Our deal is to partner
with you on your quest and do our best to help you succeed.
Wounded Warrior Project
www.WoundedWarriorProject.org
Dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of injured service members, while directing
programs and services to meet their need.
Wounded Warrior resource directory: connecting wounded vets, families and caregivers
to those who support them.
www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov
The directory provides access to services and resources at the national, state and local
levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. This includes
information on benefits and compensation, education & training, employment, family &
caregiver support, health, homeless assistance, housing, transportation & travel.
Support for military families
Updated as of 12/23/12
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